The Cookbook Junkies

A very special giveaway (as I write those words – a Very Brady Christmas just popped in my mind and I want it gone!). I love cookbooks! Don’t we all? I am not a great fan of vintage cookbooks although I have a few that I consider classics such as the two cookbooks I am sharing today.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to run across copies of Mary and Vincent Price’s The Treasury of Great Recipes (First Edition) and The Gourmet Cookbook  Volumes I and II (in the case)  – and since I have these in my collection already – I’m giving them away to one of you!

The Treasury of Great Recipes is very dear to me. I wrote a piece on this great book with an interview of Victoria Price for Tastebook. You can read that here, if you haven’t already. The Gourmet Set is a must have too – over 700 pages each – and they just look cool on your shelf. You’ll look fancy.

Random number generator picked Anne – #131 congratulations!

GIVEAWAY: To enter this giveaway, leave a comment on this post telling me anything at all. This post will be special – you can leave a different comment every day – until May 23rd when I pick a winner. One comment per day per person. It is open to U.S. addresses only. Remember to enter every day!  While you are here – scroll through and enter all the other giveaways still open – and good luck! Sharing this post is most appreciated.

This giveaway is open to everyone – not just females who have bore children – males are invited to join in as well. Everyone can enter. This giveaway is sponsored by me. Now I have to bleach my mind to get the Bradys out of there!

Merriman’s Hawai’i is well known for its farm-to-table cuisine utilizing fresh and local ingredients to create meals that are memorable experiences for their guests. I’ve long dreamed of visiting Hawai’i and one day I hope to get there. The majestic beauty of the islands and exotic food sorely tempts me.

I have every Hawaiian cookbook that I can get my hands on and when I learned that the Merrimans’ wrote a cookbook – I set my sites on obtaining a copy to review and share with you.

Merriman’s Hawai’i is far more than a collection of recipes. It is a story of an incredible chef, a tribute to the farmers of Hawai’i and a love letter to the Islands. Jaw-dropping photographs transport you to the sand and waves of this glorious destination just as the photographs of the dishes and food beckon to me, encouraging me to savor each page and head to the kitchen to bring a taste of Hawai’i to landlocked Colorado.

With recipes such as Kalua Pork Imu-Style at Home, Pork Bulgogi Tacos, Not-the-Usual Cashew Chicken and Bean Thread Noodles and Sweet Chili Shrimp – there is something to suit everyone’s tastes and preferences. Beautiful seafood dishes, of course, are shared and recipes for scrumptious salads and vegetables are plentiful. The chapter on desserts will make one swoon as I did and abandon their diets for a well-deserved decadent treat. Merriman’s Signature Chocolate Purse, Coconut Creme Brulee and Not-Your-Mother’s Coconut Layer Cake look elegant and would wow any guest.

Special thanks to Merriman’s for allowing me to share their recipe for Hawai’i Style Jerk Chicken.

Photo Credit: Linny Morris

To obtain more information (including a look inside) or to order this fascinating book click here.

Truly, Merriman’s Hawai’i is a must have book for any serious food lover as well as those who love the written word and breathtaking photographs. This book will earn a well-deserved place of honor on my bookshelf after it spends some nights with me on my nightstand – dreaming of Hawai’i.

My name is Jenny and I have a problem…well truthfully… I have many problems including why is Kanye West still relevant but I digress, my problem today are cookie cookbooks. Why can’t I pass up a cookie cookbook? Maybe because I love cookie cookbooks – not your Betty Crocker recipes or the same old recipes being revamped by changing an ingredient but unique books that bring something new to the table.

The Southern Cookie Book fits that criteria – delivering some old classics but yet many new recipes for the cookie monster in all of us and even includes candy and fudge recipes.

White Chocolate-Orange Dream Cookies, Smoky Mountain Snowcaps, Chai Tea Eggnog Cookies and Hummingbird Oatmeal Cookies await us in this book that has a beautiful photo of each recipe – I really love that in a baking book. We eat with our eyes first – and I pick recipes (at times) with my eyes first. Pictures aren’t always a deal breaker – but they sure do sweeten the pot.

I love that The Southern Cookie Book has so many new recipes (at least to me and I own just about every cookie book out there). Could be my failing memory – but I don’t recall seeing recipes for Marble-Cinnamon Sandwich Cookies, Swoon Pies or Lemon-Basil Butter Cookies before.

Besides the recipes and photos, I appreciate the tips and hints spread throughout the book such as “the scoop on perfect bars and brownies” or “the scoop on perfect rolled cookies”. Even experienced bakers love a good hack to make baking more efficient.

Oxmoor House wants us all to try one of the recipes and have allowed me to share the recipe for Peach-Pecan Rugelach which can be downloaded at that link. Just look how gorgeous they are!

It’s been snow raining (my new term) for days now, and I’m going to make a recipe from this title this afternoon before I start dinner. I’ll come back and post an update with the results. Update: I had never made rugelach before and always wanted to — I made a twist on the Peach-Pecan – chocolate and pecans — and while mine are ugly – they taste incredible. The dough is easy to work with and has a wonderful flavor and texture.

Now for the GIVEAWAY: Oxmoor House was gracious enough to offer one of you a chance to win this title. To enter leave a comment on this post about your favorite cookie. For a second entry, please share this post with your friends – share buttons are below the post to aid you. Be sure to leave a second comment. The giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only and a winner will be chosen on May 15th.

Thanks to Oxmoor House for this opportunity. Random Number Generator picked #38 Laura Benson!